Moving into Autumn

April 2015

The weather is cooling, we’re jumping in the pool less and outdoor entertaining is winding down.

Autumn is upon us, making now a great time to take a look at your energy use and consider what appliances you’ll be using in your home during the cooler months.

Ausgrid energy efficiency expert Robert Simpson said the change of season could mean a chance to be more energy efficient.

It’s getting close to the non-swimming season, so if your pool isn’t heated, you only need to run the pump for about two to four hours a day during cooler weather, that’s about half the running time needed during summer.

If you use a second fridge for drinks and extra food over the summer period, you can save money by emptying it and switching it off until next year Remember to leave the door slightly ajar. A 15-year-old fridge running 24 hours a day, seven days a week could be adding up to $250 to your energy bill every year and 1.5 tonnes of CO2 emissions.

Now is a great time to get our homes ready for efficient heating by considering insulation. Ceiling insulation can reduce heating costs by up to 30 per cent, saving you more than $100 a year. Wall insulation is also effective and recommended if you’re building or renovating a home.

But regardless of owning a pool, a second fridge or having the ability to add insulation, we all have electrical appliances that can sit there in standby mode. In fact, the average home now has between 20 and 30 appliances that consume standby power, when not being used.

These hidden energy guzzlers can potentially add more than $100 a year to bills. The key is to switch off at the power button on the appliance or better still at the wall when you’ve finished using it.